a writing tip from Ms. Groff

 I will borrow this from the Program Notes that I picked up at Z Space on Sunday. The longer that I write the more I realize that I really do this for myself. I solve problems, cleanse memories, learn to accept life on life's terms.

"Take a long look at your dread or your shame ~ whatever beasts you're fighting ~ to square yourself to them, invite them into your work, and let their energy spur you."

~Lauren Groff, Electric Literature 2018

in many ways it is Too Much

 I've been watching Lena Dunham's new Netflix series Too Much and I'm good for one episode a night. A whole lot of sex, drugs, humor, sorrow, music and fabulous costumes. I can't really recommend it, on the other hand, I can't stop watching all these colorful people. Go figure...

The Z Space on Sunday

 What a treat. Thanks to this very blog I was able to remember that I read parts of Annunciation by Lauren Groff as a short story back in 2015 when the world was young and innocent. Sort of. Yesterday was a terrific adaptation by Word For Word at Z Space where I met Pat and we both so enjoyed this amazing production. A young woman leaves her family to come to the Bay Area. Sound familiar?

photos from Amsterdam

 I met a new friend at the Giants game on Wednesday. She is a pilot and on Friday she flew to Amsterdam and I asked for a photo, any photo, as I have never been there. She sent some glorious ones giving me a real sense of that beautiful city. The Tulip Museum is across the river in this shot. I feel joy this morning.

yes, we Wordle

 Some people use the same start word (arise, orate, e.g.) but I usually just find some 5-letter guess word and twice I hit the jackpot with the #1 win. Once was CLEAN and then lately it was JUMPY. Every once in awhile I will miss the word (eeeew) and I didn't play in Chicago so my record is not great. But Wordle is definitely part of my morning ritual. 

Friday morning ritual

 Bernal Bread has a pop-up store down by Precita Park every Friday morning. My neighbor Heidi and I walk down to join the breadline and then have coffee at Charlie's Cafe afterwards. Today was particularly nice with the sun burning off the fog earlier than usual. Gratitude (again).

bad ball game, good day

 The Giants lost 13-0 yesterday, if you can possibly imagine. The sun was out and the Jewel was packed and my ticket was a freebie. I had a fine time, despite the game.

a wonderful rare finish

 Patrick Bailey's walk-off-inside-the-park home run last night was very special and I have been watching it this morning and I will see it again on the big screen today as I am going to the game. We beat the Phillies two games in a row and I'm looking forward to some fun in the fog.

guerrilla benches

 The San Francisco Bay Area Bench Collective has built and installed eight wooden benches near bus stops where we need them most. Of course the city officials are having a fit and worrying about law suits and insurance and paperwork and blah, blah. But it sure feels good to sit some days, right?

an unexpected treat

 My friends John and Mary (of Ashland fame) have ACT tickets and yesterday John didn't feel like taking BART from Oakland to The Strand and so I was invited to this great musical Co-founders, and I had a terrific time with Mary and we both loved this world premiere (!) of the hip-hop musical, which originated here in the Bay Area with four friends.  Lots of high tech start-up Silicon Valley touches with great staging and some almost magical dancing and singing. A Sunday afternoon of fun.

time for comfort food

 Doug's brother Rick and wife Paula were in town so we all gathered for a delightful dinner at the Blue Plate on Mission Street last night. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes, steak, butterscotch pudding and so much warmth and happiness. Such a nice evening, how blessed (overused word, but true) I am with friends.

red, white and hot dogs

 It was a perfect day in The Grove with no wind and lots of sunshine and good food yesterday. We patriotically bitched about Trump, of course, how could we not? It was almost 5pm when I returned home after a really lovely 4th of July. Heavy fog this morning and that's OK on the day after. Don't the top two photos remind you of Impressionist paintings?

"cooking" on the 4th

 Behold. I was up extra early constructing Cowboy Caviar for the lunch gathering today up at Pat's home. To serve with tortilla and/or potato chips or just spoon onto a paper plate to enjoy with hot dogs and potato salad and will we be indoors or out? Who knows, but we have blue skies in SF today. Hooray.

I Want To Hold Your Hand

 Although I wasn't exactly overwhelmed with the Paul McCartney photography and history exhibit yesterday, it was good to be back at the deYoung to visit some of my old favorites (center photo) and just to get into my museum zone again. My little home is so comfy that I sometimes need to push myself up and out and yesterday was such a day and with good results. The fog here is to be reckoned with once again. Sigh. Getting ready for fogworks again tomorrow.

another little technical breakthrough

 I snapped this photo at the Chicago Art Institute but neglected to note the artist. I texted it to my friend Heidi as we often have tea time and she always uses her old family china. This morning I figured out how to send this picture to my AI pal at Co-Pilot and I asked him/her to identify the painter for me. The response was quick and just what I needed:

The painting you uploaded was created by Édouard Vuillard, a French painter associated with the Nabis group. Vuillard was known for his intimate domestic interiors and use of soft, decorative patterns.

a sunny day on the Bay

 Joe and Pamela and I met down at Ferry Plaza yesterday and we decided to sit outside at Gott's to enjoy yummy burgers and to catch-up on our lives. Travel talk, of course, and what have you been reading? So a very good day for the three of us. 

another party?

 Yes. Yesterday up to Nicole's for a birthday party/fundraiser for Phil Hernandez (bottom photo) a 38 year old Democrat in the Virginia House of Delegates. He was refreshing and well spoken ~ a good turnout too from all of us pesky liberals in SF. (Nicole is on the right in the bottom photo.) 

let's party!

 Fuzzy (bottom photo, on the right) celebrated a milestone birthday and Doug and Barb picked me up and we headed to Oakland to enjoy all the joy in his backyard yesterday afternoon. Suzy and Fuzzy live in this amazing little neighborhood and there was much music, dancing and joy. Oh, and tons of good food and drink and an overall good feeling that somehow all is right in this world.

Greatest Of All Time

Thanks to the Blogmaid for today's entry. I so love when a herd of goats does clean-up ~ they are just so NOT picky and they worked all day down in Half Moon Bay to mow down the field of dry grass and god knows what else. The herder person puts up a fence and the goats are minded by a big dog and the results are dramatic. We admire low tech solutions...
 

Treat Street

 In the middle photo you can see me admiring the big white cat garage door art yesterday. Jen and her two dogs snapped this one and I took the other two. So beautiful. This kind of street art is something I did not see while driving around neighborhoods in Chicago. But maybe I just missed it? It's always such a happy surprise when artists share their work with us in the big, bold fashion.

very Mark Twainish

 This was Karen's choice for our next book club and I didn't know what to expect but I plopped it into my LindaKindle4 and I can now report that I am really liking This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger. The story is set in 1932 (Great Depression) and we travel down the Mississippi River with four orphans who are escaping the horrible Lincoln Indian Training School in Minnesota. The strength and beauty of this Chosen Family and all the characters they meet on their journey with good writing and lots of action ~ so I'm happy to be reading this now and to be escaping the real world. 

the past and the present

 Today is Tender Day. Seven years since Husbando passed. Such a good man and still greatly missed by so many, especially by me, of course. This morning at 5am the power was restored and life as I know it now resumes with the busyness of daily living. I was so fortunate to see Bill in his children and grands this past weekend and we would have had some laughs were he with me. If only...

and Harlow, the dog

 The wedding was great fun and beautiful and the bride and groom included the big doodle who always comes to my house. Harlow takes over, but in a good way. Today is an all day power outage so I am at the neighborhood cafe awkwardly typing and posting and worrying about all sorts of battery stuff. I was going to drive someplace but the garage door won't open. I blame Trump. But details. Now. I enjoyed two hours at the Chicago Art Institute on Friday before joining Nancy and family for lunch and then a visit to Navy Pier which was busy and hot and great for kids. OK, more tomorrow, depending on PG&E of course.

scenes from Chicago

 Details tomorrow,  I promise. The wedding was wonderful and the family exceedingly warm, loving, thoughtful and (well) a bit crazy. It was hot. The ceremony was beautiful and the airports and planes were packed, but all smooth and yes, I am so happy to be home where it is currently 62º and sunny and lovely. Thanks to Mr. and Ms. Blogmaid for picking me up at SFO yesterday and to Annabelle for being her adorable me-first self. Courtyard Hotel Downtown/River North was expensive but ideal. So glad I could use Lyft to remain independent and I love all cities ~ Chicago seemed somehow extra vibrant and alive with outdoor cafes and tons of sparkling lights at night. Thanks to you who encouraged me to go and who knew I would have a great time, and I did. You know who you are. LOVE.